Magazine firearm



Aug. 4, 1925. 1,548,109`

` J. M. BROWNING MAGAZINE FIREARM Filed March 13, 1924 mud or snow, from entering the magazine opening, the thin plate of said member having a substantially rectangular shape to fit the corresponding magazine opening. The rear wall of said opening has a wide vertical central groove Vwhich normally Vv'receives a corresponding rib on the magazine 11. To close said groove, the' end of the'Y closing; plate has a short extension of a width to Et into said groove, see Fig. 3.

The closing member 16 is prevented from swinging inward too far by a shoulder 16" striking the lower portion of the forward wall of the magazine opening.

In its operative position the thin closing plate of the member 16 is protected from injury or deformation, as by blows, because it is enclosed within the breech casing.

Even in its inoperative position, itis, of

course, desirable that it Vbe out of the way so as not to interfere with the Vuse of the arm, and at the same time be protected. By the improved construction, these desirable 'features are attained by having the closing plate so bent somel distance from the pivot 16a Vas to cause the greater portion of its length, when it is brought to its inoperative Y position as shown inliig. 1, to extend parallel Yto the bottom of the lower surface of fthe forearm 14 which is secured, as by screws 14a only one of which is shown, to the extension 13 of the gas cylinder;the forearm 14 is provided in .saidl lower surface of its rear end with a central longitudinal recess 14b to receive said parallel portion of the closing plate when the member 16 is in its inoperative position, whereby said portion lies within therexternal contour of the forearm and is thus Yout of the way and protected against injury. Y

The closing member 16 is yieldingly kept either in its operative position, see Figs. 2 and 3, or in its inoperative position, see Fie'. 1, by` a device comprising a spring-actuated plunger 17 seated in the 'hub of said member and fitted to enter a'shallow recess 17a in the lug lb'corresponding'to either of its two positions.

That portion of said closing member 16 adjacent its pivot 16a in which the plunger Y 17 and its spring are mounted is of considerable height but of less width than the thin closing plate, see Figs. 8, 4 and 5, and forms a shoulder 16", which is preferably linurled or otherwise roughened, to provide a means whereby the operator mayireadily swing the closing member 16Vout of the opening in the casing when moving it from its operative position to its inoperative position.

To facilitate the starting of the closing member 16 from its inoperativeposition cess 14b in the forearm extends beyond Vthe end Vof said member and i-s cut somewhat deeper than the rest of said recess, thereby permitting the operat-or to place the tip of his linger under the end of member 16 to swing the same out of the recess.

l/Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a firearm, a breech casing having an opening through its wall, cartridge holding means removably seated in said opening, and a hinged member for closing said opening when said cartridge holding means is removed, said member being constructed and arranged, on being brought to its operative position closing said opening, to swing inwardly between the side walls of said opening whereby it is protected against injury and having means for limiting said inward movement to positively prevent the entrance of solid foreign `matter into the breech casing through said openinOf.

2. In a firearm, a breech casing having an opening through its wall, a detachable cartridge magazine normally seated in said opening, and a hinged member for closing said opening when the magazine has been removed, said member comprising a thin plate arrangedrto swing between the side walls of said'opening when the member is moved toits 4operative position and to lie flat against a portion of the firearm when swungI out to its inoperative position, whereby it is at all times protected against injury, and means for limiting the inward'movement of said member Vto positively prevent the entrance of solid foreign matter into the breech casing through said opening.

8. In a firearm, a breech casing having an opening through its wall, a longitudinally extending elementV removably supported at its rear end by said casing, anda closure for said opening carried by said element, whereby said element and closure may be mounted or dismounted as a unit.

4. In a firearm, a breech casing having an opening-through its wall, a longitudinally extending member removably supported at its rear end in said casing, a forearm carried by said member, and a closure for said opening also carried by said member whereby said member, forearm and closure may be mounted or dismounted as a unit.

5. In a magazine firearm, a breech casing having an opening through its wall, a detachable cartridge magazine normally seated in said opening, a member for closing said opening when the magazine is detached, said member being pivotally supported by said casing forward of the magazine opening, and an Aelement'of said firearm forward of said casingv and provided with a recess therein adapted to receive a portion of said 1 member when the same is moved to its inshown injFig. 1, the forward end of the reoperative position.

, "6. In a magazine firearm, a breech casing in saici openingLa member supported by said 'casing for movement to close said opening .'When the magazine has been removed, and to open said opening forinsertionof the maga-- Y Y zine, a forearmsupported'forward yof said.

caslng, and a recess 1n said forearmrto reoelveV a portion Vof said' lmember When the:

same `r is moved to its inoperative position,

whereby the said portionv is out of the Way yandr'proteeted against "injury.

7. In an automatic firearm, azbreeehcas ing having a magazine opening to 'receive a;A

detachable` cartridge magazine, a gas eyiinf` der supportedat its rear end. in said. casing, K.

and a member pivotallyfaried saidrlfA *A Y. if Vcylinder for elosingsaid ropening when :the *i magazine isdetaehed.

' This specification -slgned and witnessed.Vv rthis 11th day of Mareh,A. 13.1924. I

JOHN M. BROWNKYING. f

l Inpresenoe O- v C. J. Iinnsn'rs, y* Y J. CALVIN BRIGHT.; 

